Setup
by FirelightEnna
Summary: Sirius and Marlene decide to set James and Lily up, with humorous results. T just to be safe.
1. chapter 1

Chapter 1

A Plan

Marlene practically dragged her boyfriend into the broom closet. "Okay, listen. This is serious."

Sirius smirked. "Serious, you say?"

"Shut up, Black."

"So you're saying you dragged me into a broom closet, not to snog, but to talk?"

"You'll live," she replied, rolling her eyes.

"So what's up?"

She took a deep breath. "You are not to repeat this to anyone or Lily will slaughter me."

He raised an eyebrow. "That seems a bit dramatic, Marls."

"You're one to talk," she retorted, punching his arm playfully. "Now stop distracting me."

He leaned forward and kissed her so sweetly all thoughts left her mind. "Oh, am I distracting you, dear?"

"I hate you," she said breathlessly.

He gave her a wicked grin. "No you don't. Now, you were saying?"

She made a face at him. "As I was saying, you prat, you can't tell anyone this, especially James. Lily fancies him."

"I knew it!" he exclaimed.

"She won't do anything about it because he hasn't asked her out all term and she thinks he lost interest."

"James?" Sirius laughed. "Oh trust me, Prongsie is definitely interested."

"So we're gonna set them up."

"How?"

"Well, we might have to stick them together with some sort of charm…. We could stick them together and they can't unstick themselves till they tell each other how they feel!"

"I like the way you think, McKinnon," he said with a grin.

"You're dating me, aren't you?"

"Am I? I must have forgotten. You'll have to remind me."

She rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Sirius, can we make a plan now, and save the snogging for later?"

"If you insist," he answered, the look in his eye telling her that yes, there would be snogging later.

"We need to get them in the Common Room together, on the same sofa, so we can perform the charm."

"I'm assuming you have a charm then?"

She sighed. "No, not yet. I was hoping you knew something."

"I know everything except that."

Resting her hands on his chest, she drummed her fingers impatiently. "I'll have to look in the library, I suppose. Damn, I don't know how long that will take."

"I can ask Remus," he offered.

She threw her arms around his neck. "You are the best person ever and I love you!"

Laughing, he put his arms around her. "I hope you're not exaggerating."

She looked up at him innocently. "Me, exaggerate?"

He leaned down and kissed her, till she pulled away laughing. "Focus, Sirius!"

"I am!"

She raised her eyebrows.

"I'm focusing on you, dear," he said, smirking. "You look lovely today, by the way."

"You're impossible," she responded. "Now, you go talk to Remus and I'll meet you at dinner. Do not breathe a word of this to anyone except Remus, and make sure he knows not to tell anyone."

"Whatever you say dear."

She rolled her eyes, then gave him a quick kiss. "I'll see you later."

He kissed her forehead. "You go first."

It was their custom to never leave a broom closet together, for fear of getting caught. Marlene went, and found her best friend sitting in the courtyard with the Marauders.

"Where have you been?" Lily asked.

"Nowhere," Marlene answered.

"Better question is, where's Sirius?" James said with a laugh.

Lily smirked. "For once, I agree with Potter."

"For once?" he protested.

"I thought you'd been counting, Prongs," Remus said without looking up from his book.

"I think Moony's onto something," Sirius said, coming up behind James.

"Were you two together again?" James groaned, looking from Marlene to Sirius.

"Of course not," Sirius said innocently, dropping to the ground next to her.

"Yes, it's been ages since we last saw each other," Marlene added, slipping her hand into his.

"Oi, PDA much?" James yelped.

Lily coughed.

James turned to her. "Oh, what now?"

"I coughed," she replied.

Sirius caught Marlene's eye and grinned. Oh yes, James would not be complaining about PDA much longer, if they had anything to say about it.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Caught Unaware

As soon as she finished eating, Lily dropped her head to the table and buried her face in her arms. She felt someone move closer to her and rest their head next to hers. She turned her head to the right and found herself staring into a pair of sparkling hazel eyes.

"Oh, what do you want?" she groaned.

"Forgive me for being concerned," he responded, his voice teasing. "You look a bit tired there, Miss Evans."

"You would too if you spent half the night writing a Transfiguration essay," she replied.

"Why did it take you that long?" He sounded genuinely curious.

"Because I suck at Transfiguration, that's why."

He raised an eyebrow. "Lily Evans sucks at something?"

"Sod off," she muttered.

"Ya know, I would help you if you asked."

She closed her eyes. "Potter, I—"

"James," he corrected.

She opened her eyes and glared at him. "I'll call you whatever the hell I want to, Potter."

He grinned. "Touché."

"I'm not much of one to ask for help."

"It's not like I'm gonna hold it over your head." When she raised her eyebrows, he insisted, "I wouldn't do that, Lily. I'm being—"

"Serious?" Sirius suggested from across the table with a evil grin.

James flicked his wand and Sirius yelped in pain, rushing to put his hand over the large boil forming on his cheek.

"Undo it!" he shrieked.

James chuckled, but obeyed.

"But in all… graveness, you promise you wouldn't hold it over my head that you helped me with something?"

"I promise."

"Would you make an Unbreakable Vow?" Lily asked mischievously.

His face paled. "Oh no what the hell am I getting into?"

She laughed. "I'm just teasing you, Potter. But would you start helping me tonight in the common room?"

He looked mildly surprised. "Sure I will."

Lily plopped down on the couch next to James. "Okay, I know she explained it really well, but I still just don't understa—"

Lily felt a strange sensation and then realized she couldn't get up. She could only move her arms and head. "Potter. What. Did. You. Do?" she asked through gritted teeth.

"It wasn't me, I promise! I can't move either!"

Lily tried every charm she could think of, but nothing worked. She became increasingly frustrated. "I can't fix it!" she yelled. "This is going to be a long night, and it will be a miracle if I sleep at all! A miracle! Honestly, who would do something like—?"

She stopped when he put his hand on top of hers. "I can yell for Sirius to get a teacher," he offered.

"This is probably Sirius' doing. His and Marlene's," she said darkly.

They sat in silence for a moment, till she felt a rush of courage and asked, "Why aren't you seeing anyone?"

He turned his head to look at her with mild shock. "I don't mean to sound rude, but what's it to you?"

"Oh come on, you've clearly lost interest in me, considering you haven't asked me out all term. So why isn't there someone else?"

"Who told you I'd lost interest?"

"No one had to tell me. You stopped asking me out."

He hesitated. "Hypothetically, if I were to ask you out, what would you say?"

She felt a blush creep into her cheeks. "Hypothetically?"

He nodded.

"Hypothetically, I would say yes."

His eyes widened. "Why?"

"Because you're not a toerag anymore. Because you're one of my best friends. Because I fancy you like mad."

He started to smile, and his smile grew wider and wider. "You fancy me?"

She nodded. "I have for a while."

"Well I fancy you, Lily Evans."

Just like that they were unstuck.

"That was all we had to do?" Lily said in disbelief.

"I suppose we'll have to thank Sirius and Marlene," he laughed.

"Later," she said with a smile. "Right now I'm going to kiss you."

And she did.

Little did they know that under the Invisibility Cloak, Sirius and Marlene exchanged triumphant smiles.

"Well done, McKinnon."

"You're not so bad yourself, Black," she teased, before following Lily's example and kissing her own boyfriend.

Both Sirius and James thought it was a wonderful idea.


End file.
